Everyday Magic 6: Preparations
by IceNChrome
Summary: Comes after 'Intentions' - Things are starting to get a little less everyday for Loki, Lyn, Thor and Jane. Loki discovered a strange object of power and tries to convince Thor to help him use it to avert a catastrophic event that threatens from another reality. Lyn begins to have unsettling dreams. Loki and Lyn may welcome a new housemate in the near future!
1. Chapter 1

Loki wasn't ready to directly address Thor's revelation about his visit to Sojourns Remembered with Lyn, though he felt quite angry with her. He knew she took him there, he wouldn't have gone by himself. Loki also knew Thor must have met Sophia. Of all the rotten luck! Between the object in the drawer and Sophia Thor was bound to be suspicious something was going on. He would demand an answer. As tempting as it was to make an exit and move on to somewhere else, he couldn't do that either. After what he'd seen in the disks, there was no place TO go. If he wanted to change what he saw, he'd need to stay here, figure it out, AND be nice to Thor to ensure his assistance.

Truth be told he didn't want to move on. I like the way she looks at me. No one looks at me that way. He didn't want to admit that part either. He didn't want to even entertain the notion he'd come to enjoy the company of the mortal woman. That old, strange part of him whispered to end her now, quickly, and then escape. Consult the disks, see where it was safe and…

No place to go. None. All roads led to the end if he remained inert. Some alternatives took longer, some were shorter, but the result was the same. Running right now was akin to inertia as it would only prolong the inevitable. He had to get Thor to go with him into another reality. Visit another world very far away where there was someone that could help in this one. Convincing Thor to do this, and then convincing that other person to leave her world and come to this one would be impossible. Impossible for anyone, that is, except for…

"LOKI!"

Lyn's voice broke him out of his reverie and he looked over at her. "Goodness. What are you yelling about? You've been around Thor too long." He grumbled.

"You were a million miles away! I asked if you'd mind if I put on an Audrey Hepburn flick? I feel like something comforting tonight."

"No, not at all. I have to agree. Comforting is good." He agreed. He volunteered to pop a bag of popcorn and went into the kitchen to try to pull his thoughts together. First, he had to figure out what he was going to tell Thor at their 'talk' the day after tomorrow.

Thor got to Jane's apartment, sat down on the couch, and immediately called her.

"Hey! What's up!" She answered. There were a lot of voices around her. It sounded like she might be out somewhere.

"Can you talk a moment? It's serious." He said.

"Hang on." She answered. The voices muffled and he heard her say something, and then the background noise lessened. "OK. I ducked into an empty room. What's happening." Her voice had become all business with a tinge of fear. He hated making Jane feel this way too, but needed her help.

"I need you to look up someone for me. Loki's employer, a Mrs. Sophia Ellison."

"Thor, I think Lyn already did a full background check on the woman…" Jane began, her voice dropping into an amused yet relieved tone.

"She may have, and I have spoken to her as much as I dare. I need your help. I need this to stay between you and I until I can determine what is happening."

"Okay." Jane said. "Is it Loki? Has he done something?"

"I have that suspicion." Thor said.

Jane hesitated a moment before admitting, "Lyn mentioned something to me before he left. She said she felt something strange from him, but we chalked it up to her just being worried about him leaving."

"I wish you'd told me that, Jane." Thor sighed.

"I didn't think it was anything TO tell you about!" Jane said. "What is it? What do you think is going on?"

"Just look up whatever you can find on Sophia Ellison. You'll understand some of my concern when you see her picture. I'm interested in what Mr. Ellison looked like as well."

Jane shook her head in annoyance as she hung up the phone. The symposium was over, this was simply a social event. She got up to go back out and rejoin it, but then headed towards the elevators and back up to her room instead. Thor had sounded much too intense for it to be nothing. She was also annoyed at herself for not telling him about the conversation she'd had with Lyn. Loki might seem 'different' or 'better' since he'd come to Midgard to stay with Lyn. But he was still ultimately Loki.

She pulled up a search on her laptop, put in Sophia's name, and was rewarded with a picture from a charity event a couple years ago. She sat in shock looking at a carbon copy of Thor's mother, Frigga. When she found an older picture of Mr. Ellison, she scrabbled for her phone and hit the speed dial for Thor with a shaky finger.

"Thor…I found a picture of Sophia's husband…it's…it's…Odin." She stammered. She couldn't look away from the picture of Lloyd Ellison, which seemed to stare accusingly back at her.

Jane returned from the symposium the next afternoon, almost dreading it. She already felt past bad for Lyn. She also felt like a betrayer. This may result in Loki's being taken back to Asgard…or worse, depending. Lyn would blame her, hate her, and never trust her again. Trust her? Fuck that, Lyn would most likely knock her flat on her ass if that happened and THEN never speak to her again.

"What a mess!" Jane grumbled as she scrabbled at her keys in the bottom of her purse. The door opened, and Thor almost pulled her inside.

"Let me see all that you'd found." Thor said. He hadn't wanted Jane to send him anything, he wanted them to be together when they went over everything.

In short order, they were looking over everything Jane had found on the Ellisons. They had been a very wealthy couple that started an antique shop early on in their marriage. Their small antique shop had grown into what it was now: a fine art and antiquities dealer. They were both active in the local fine arts scene. After Lloyd passed away, Sophia had become more interested in art-centered charities and programs that brought art scholarships and education to local young people. She had done a lot of travel during her time, she was the 'buyer' for their business and had visited many countries.

"She even met the Queen of England!" Jane marveled.

"So Lyn also said. What about her husband?" Thor said.

"There's less on him. Looks like he kept the homefront running, and did all the in-house stuff while she traveled and found stock for their store. They were married over 40 years." She scrolled along a little more, clicked on a few articles and then commented, "It's strange, they never had any children."

"I'm not sure what makes me uneasy about that, but…there's something to it. I'm not sure what it is. Loki is there because Sophia looks just like our mother. Now her husband looking just like our father?" He shook his head slowly. "This does not bode well."

Jane stopped and looked at Thor. "Lyn mentioned something was off with Loki…do you think he may have found a way to somehow…swap Sophia for Frigga? To bring your mother back? I know that's a long shot, but after seeing some of the things I've seen…"

"Nothing's a long shot with Loki. He is a highly skilled sorcerer." Thor frowned at the thought of the dagger. This would probably be his best opening to take it back to Asgard. "Perhaps I should visit Asgard and look into this with a few others that are skilled in magic. I can go after I talk to Loki tomorrow at dinner."

"Okay. Maybe none of this will be necessary though. Maybe talking to him will get everything out in the open." Jane said. "You know, just talking is also a perfectly acceptable way of dealing with family situations." She continued gently.

"You're starting to sound like Lyn now." Thor smiled at Jane. He knew she didn't want to see Loki backslide into anything terrible either. "All we really want is some normalcy. We need to heal. Father also needs to heal, though he'd be the last to admit it."

Loki lay awake that night, looking up at the ceiling, waiting for Lyn to go into a very deep sleep so he could go downstairs and consult with the disks again. He'd helped her along by putting a sleep-spell over her wine. He tried to weave a good dreams spell in too, but Lyn's mortal sleep was different than the sleep of longer-lived beings like himself. He heard her stir even though he sensed her fall into the deepest part of sleep.

Lyn rarely talked in her sleep past a few unintelligible syllables. She snored, certainly! She never spoke full sentences though, so Loki was startled to hear what she said and the way she said it.

In a loud, clear voice that sounded as if she were wide awake, she affirmed, "If you do, I'll peel the MOTHERFUCKING skin from your MOTHERFUCKING children and make you WATCH before I gut you alive, you pile of DOGSHIT!" Then she went silent, save for very erratic breathing.

Loki got up on one elbow and stared down at her with wide, surprised eyes. His friend's face suddenly contorted into a snarl, she actually growled deep in her throat and then rasped, "I am The Eternal." in a deep voice, unlike anything he'd ever heard from her before. This was an interesting, if not disturbing, development.

So much for good dreams! He thought. He listened and watched a while longer wondering if she'd say anything else. Her breathing eventually went back to the normal deep respiration of mortal sleep. She murmured something that sounded like his name mixed with "cookies". She smiled. Maybe this was the good dream part? He hoped so.

Silently, he moved from the bed, and opened the drawer of his nightstand, picking the disks from the top where he'd put them earlier for easy, quiet access. He padded noiselessly downstairs, heading for the living room. Even if Lyn did wake, she'd make enough noise coming downstairs to alert him to her presence. She hadn't mastered the art of silent sneaking the way he had.

Ah finally! Time to consult the disks! His spell wove along the surface of the strange object until it opened once again, and began it's strange spinning. The disks spun and paused, then spun more. A dance of time and probability and reality. Loki looked for the reality he'd seen before. He concentrated on it and asked the entity to show him. The disks swirled around, and he beheld what he'd been waiting for.

"How do I get to this passage?" He asked.

The disks showed him a vision of another world where things dropped from portals in the skies constantly. An endless stream of celestial detritus rained down on the surface of this place. His view shifted from a ground perspective to moving up towards the sky, then centered on one of the portals. It eventually blasted up and through this portal. Colors and bits of magic and energy flew past his view. He beheld a version of Asgard where darkness reigned. The citadels and spires were gray and colorless, there were no lights or movement.

"The Dark Elves? This is how it would have been had we not prevailed?"

The vision returned to the planet with the falling debris. It again showed him the portal and ran through it, as it had before. This time, it came upon a much younger version of Asgard. There was a war going on but this was not surprising to Loki. Asgard had been the scene of many a war. At one time, it seemed to be Odin's favorite hobby. Lyn's U.S.A. had the NFL, and Asgard had War. The Official Pastime of the Realm Eternal. Loki sighed. "So which particular one would this be?" He muttered.

He saw a person the disks had showed him before. She was fighting against someone he knew about through his travels and investigations into Asgard's…and Odin's…past. He'd never met the woman clad in green and black, but he knew her by description. This was Hela, the Goddess of Death. Odin had fought and banished her from Asgard long ago. Hela was very powerful indeed, but she had her own realm to rule over. Hela's realm was not one Loki had visited yet, but it was on his to do list. He'd find some reason to drop in and explore eventually. Maybe soon.

"What is happening here? Why is Hela attacking Asgard?" Loki whispered.

The disk-entity then led him along corridors and stairs until they came to the weapons vault. Loki knew this place well. He knew all the artifacts kept there by heart, probably even better than Odin himself. It blew past everything there until it came to the Eternal Flame. Hela was after that? To steal it? Or to extinguish it? Align with Surtur? That was a plan in the back of Loki's mind for awhile now. One of his 'plan B's'. More like a 'plan C' or further on down the line. It was always there if he needed to call on it. If that was also Hela's desire, she had been thwarted that day.

Most of the blame for her defeat could actually be laid at the feet of the woman she was fighting now. This woman fought fiercely, despite her fellows falling in death around her. Loki couldn't see her clearly, yet he knew her from his prior conversations with the entity in the disks. Between this woman and Odin, Hela was brought under control, at least long enough for Odin to banish her back to Hel where she belonged. His visionary guide now brought him to a point after this war, in which this woman left Asgard hooded, alone and seemingly in shame. This was the very last Valkyrie. All of them had laid down their lives for Asgard, and only one had survived…and this one was now leaving in a state of shame.

"How could you, father?" Loki growled. "What did she do to offend your delicate sensibilities after saving your ass?" He once again sensed extreme anger followed by sadness, as he had before when seeing this woman. "Where!" he demanded impatiently.

The view followed the woman as she dropped away from Asgard. He went back through the portal into the land of raining debris. So this was where he'd find the last Valkyrie. The one he needed to help him achieve what he needed to achieve to keep even worse things from happening. Or so he thought. His intuition was pretty good, and with that and what the disks were showing him, he felt confident that was what he needed to put things in motion. Now, to just get Thor to go along. He needed Thor. He'd seen some other things through these disks that definitely would require Thor's specific skill set to deal with.

He lingered awhile longer to see what else might come across, but the entity was finished for the night. It had nothing else to tell him right now, until he created a shift in the balance of realities. A shift needed to happen too. The current outcomes where not acceptable whatsoever.

Trudging back upstairs, he slipped in next to Lyn, who very deeply slept, snoring just a little. Sometimes her snoring could probably shift reality Loki thought. Stupid human creature. And so in love with you… He rolled his eyes at that thought.

"Do you love me? Why would you love me?" Loki whispered.

"I just do." Lyn breathed. She followed that up with, "Fuck off." smiled and shifted in her sleep.

Incorrigible! Loki still felt angry at her. By snooping through his nightstand drawer and bringing Thor up to his work she'd made things much harder on him. Harder, but not impossible. He'd faced greater adversity. As far as his upcoming conversation with Thor, he'd need to phrase things much more lightly than he'd planned. He was having this conversation earlier than he'd like thanks to Lyn's interference.

He still wanted to know who the pile of dogshit was she was dreaming about earlier though. Whatever type of dream that was, she had sounded very serious. She was about to go to war with whoever she had been addressing. Knowing his friend's tenacity and her lack of fear and awe on her visit to Asgard, he had no doubt whatever it was had affronted her in the most dire of ways, and was about to pay the price! Whatever she meant in her 'The Eternal' comment was a mystery as well. Eternally a pain in his ass, certainly. He smiled down at her, his utterly stupid human, and patted her shoulder lightly. "I forgive you this time." He intoned, and then rolled over to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, I'm all for Girl's Night!" Jane said, as she leaned forward on the couch. "We can go check out that wine bar we've both been curious about. I've stalked the place on Facebook for…way too long." She looked up at Thor as she listened to Lyn's response. "Yeah, Loki and Thor are going somewhere for their little guy's night. Probably gossip about everyone in Asgard, you know Loki loves that!" She paused again, listening. "Yeah! Let's get dressed up! Hey! Why don't we go get a blow-out too, just make a day of it? Thor really came through for me with the data analysis over the weekend. Taking another day won't be as bad as I thought. Worth it though just to relax. That symposium was fun, but you can never relax at those things."

After a few more details, Jane hung up with Lyn and looked at Thor. "Well. That was easy. You guys will have an entire afternoon and evening to yourselves. How are you feeling about the outcome to this?"

"I am not sure." Thor said. "Let us both hope well. I want no harm to come to Lyn. I consider her a friend not only to me but to our family. She has been an aid in keeping what we have left together, such as it is."

"And Loki?"

"As for Loki, I am hoping he can one day leave all his schemes and plans behind and just enjoy what he has. He doesn't realize what he has in Lyn's loyalty, in what that means." He looked at Jane helplessly. "I would like to remind him that mother's greatest wish was for him to have someone that loved and understood him. He has this…this great gift Mother wished for him, yet he knows it not." Thor stood up and went to the window, feeling frustrated. "If he seeks the love of another and acceptance, his journey is over, yet he travels still."

Jane came up next to him and rested a hand on one of his broad shoulders. "I know, Thor. Sometimes it's hard for people to look beyond on their own trauma and realize it's over. They're in hide-mode for a long time, so used to the pain it's hard to just stop."

That sounded right and good to Thor. Sounded like as good an explanation as any for Loki's shady behavior…yet, there was something else to what he was doing. Something Thor couldn't put his finger on. He began to suspicion that dagger may not be the source of all this.

"I hope you are right, Jane." He said uneasily.

"So, we're going to get our hair done, and then go to the wine bar! So cool! How about you guys?" Lyn said happily, looking up at Loki.

"My brother and I will be heading to the cigar bar, even though neither of us is fond of cigars. According to Thor, they have good food there and a quiet atmosphere so we can 'catch up', though I am unsure what he feels we need to catch up on." He smiled at Lyn and added, "Is there anything you can think of? Perhaps something from your concert-going weekend?" He looked at her intensely.

"Well. OK. I took him up to Sojourns and he met Sophia." She glanced up at Loki, knowing this would displease him. She didn't mention snooping through his nightstand drawer, and hoped it wouldn't come up, because if he asked directly…

"I see, and how did he react?" Loki said, still with a smile plastered on his face. By this time, it was obvious it was a fake one.

"Weird. He was shocked about something at first, but didn't say what. I didn't press. I think he said 'Mother' when he saw her."

"Is that so?" Loki said with fake surprise.

"You're pissed at me. I can tell. What's the big deal about him meeting her?" Lyn grew visibly annoyed and asked, "What aren't YOU telling me? You're giving me a hard time, being a big bitch…time to spill it. What's fucking going on, Loki?"

"I may NOT be ready to fully trust Thor and bring him into my life, that's what!" Loki said, raising his voice just a bit. "This was our world here, yours and mine." He gestured between them fiercely. "Thor and I have a strained relationship, and you're the one that insisted he come here. Now look…he's practically moved in. Here. To OUR world, and you're happily showing him around!"

Lyn sat with that for a moment before quietly saying, "I'm sorry, Loki." Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry…but I care about you. I felt like I was not giving you what you needed. I'd go off to work, leave you here by yourself…I know you felt like you had no direction. After that one conversation we had I…I…" She stopped and looked up at him, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I understand your point. What can I do to make this better?"

He stared silently at her for uncomfortable moments before sighing and saying, "You must not go behind my back on things, especially things involving Thor. Befriending him is…well enough, but don't bring him into anything of mine, not unless you ask me first. Thor has a way of…twisting things. He'll take something I do and turn it into something it's not. He always expects bad of me, and therefore seeks it. Just like everyone in Asgard." Loki spat the last sentence out with an angry venom. "I can trust no one, and had no true friends…until now." He looked meaningfully at Lyn.

"Shit. There's something else. Remember when you came home the other night and I asked you if you had something?" Her hands wrung in her lap without her realization. This could lead to him leaving, she knew it. Her throat constricted slightly, she took a ragged breath to steady herself, and it didn't work well. She continued, "We snooped in your nightstand, found the thing…" her breathing had intensified, her throat constricting on her further. "Thor took…the thing…a dagger…he took…took…shit…Loki…" she was unable to speak further as her throat and chest closed and refused to move. Blackness hovered around the corners of her vision, and her heart hammered out of control.

"You are having a panic attack. Breathe slowly." He'd seen this response before, though not to anything between him and her.

"Thor is going to take…you'll leave…or they'll come…I can't…please…I…" she panted and tried to get up and pace, but Loki grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look him in the eye.

"My eyes are green, aren't they?" He asked calmly. The strange question caught her off guard and he could tell it shook her loose a bit from whatever scenarios were building in her mind. Her mind was a rampant wasteland of scenarios sometimes. "What other colors are in my eyes?"

"Gold. L-lighter green." She answered. "Black." She stared at him desperately.

He took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Breathe with me. Just like me."

At first, it seemed impossible for her to comply, but she did, staring into his eyes, feeling her hand pressed to his chest, feeling the alien heart that thrummed there. Eventually she came out of her own mind and back into reality.

"I am not leaving. Asgard is not coming. There is nothing for them to find in that dagger. Nothing."

Eventually Lyn collapsed into the chair, and Loki brought her a damp washcloth. She leaned back and put it over her eyes. "Gonna be okay." She said. "Gonna be OK." Her breath hitched.

"That was brave of you. I know how anxious you get. I've tested you a great deal lately, haven't I?" He didn't sound as apologetic as his words seemed, it was more a statement of fact.

"Yeah, and I wish you'd give me a break. I'm on your SIDE, Loki!" She said wanly, still recovering.

"Then remember to keep things between us. This is our world. Thor isn't always invited. You've made quite a lot of progress, by the way. I am proud of you for quitting your cigarette habit. You've done so well there."

"Yeah thanks?" Lyn said, a little more strongly. "Right now I wouldn't mind smoking one, but I won't."

"That's good. I have every faith in you! Now, on to tonight I have quite a conversation with Thor to have. I have to fend off his new suspicions. Undoubtedly he's also involved Jane, so the probability is high that she'll be asking you all kinds of questions about me and us and our…home life."

"You never told me what the deal is with Sophia though. What is the big deal about all of this? I can understand Thor being worried about magic objects and whatnot…whew, I'm lightheaded…" Lyn said as she tried to stand and wasn't quite ready yet. "Really Loki, if you want me to keep things between us, shouldn't there be something to keep? You're not telling me what's going on. You owe me that much, living in my house and all."

Loki hesitated. How much to tell? He decided to go with the most obvious truth. "Sophia bears a striking resemblance to our mother, Frigga. I know while you've seen others from Asgard in the various programs and literature written about us since…the incident…you haven't seen our mother or father. I think Thor and Jane are probably wondering if I'm up to something that might harm Sophia. I can assure you I am not."

"Did you know this before you went to the shop and applied for a job there, Loki?" Lyn asked.

Loki merely nodded.

"How did you know this?"

"I have gathered that otherworldly magics and things of that sort make you very uncomfortable." Lyn shifted nervously, looking down at her lap. "I didn't feel you'd be comfortable with knowing I could sense her there. Her energy is very close to my mother's. Do you remember how we talked about your mother? Over the recipe box?"

"Yeah. That was…very unnerving. Things like that aren't commonplace here on Earth."

"I knew what she looked like because I felt the echo of her energy in the box. It was hers. It showed me a vision of her through your memories as well. I felt the same thing at The Square, only with Frigga." Loki sat back and folded his hands in his lap, studying his friend's features.

"How long have you felt this…vibration? We've been going to The Square ever since you came here!"

"Since the first time we went."

Lyn sat back shocked at this revelation. He'd been hiding this ever since the first time they went? What else did he sense?

"Why did you wait so long to go down there?"

"After our conversation about your mother and the whole…Food Grimoire…I began thinking more about Frigga. I decided that I wouldn't mind seeing her face again."

"Why care if Thor sees though?"

Loki laughed bitterly. "Frigga was the closest person to me growing up. She helped develop my talent for magic and sorcery. She listened to me…" he trailed off. "She was my mother, Lyn, and she was MY person. Thor and Odin were off on their own, mostly where they liked to be: basking in their own personal glory. I had none of their time or consideration. Thor would like to make up for his part in that now, however Odin is still the same as always. At least Thor tries, but I digress. I had a special relationship with my mother. I was not ready to share this with Thor in any way. Not yet."

Lyn frowned, "Here I went and fucked it up. Loki, I'm so sorry! I can't apologize enough. I understand how you can view this as a violation of trust. This won't happen again, I promise."

Loki now smiled sweetly at Lyn. He mislead and guilted her a bit, but that would end up being for her own good in the end. He hadn't misrepresented Frigga's importance to him though, he considered that bit of a revelation a gift to Lyn. He'd been quite open with her about many things, actually. "I'm sure it will not, dearest Lyn. All will be well with us, and all will be well with Thor tonight. Enjoy Jane's company, if she acts in suspicion, answer with grace."

"I get it, I guess we both need to be more trusting of each other, or at least more open. Loki, you're really important to me, you have to know that by now. I want you to be okay, but I want to be okay too. Do you understand?"

Loki nodded, "I certainly do. I've tried to help in that too. Always remember, Lyn, even if it seems to the contrary I do consider you my friend and you are very important to me. Things I do, I do to help you. Promise me you'll remember that. Can you?"

"Yeah. I promise. I'll remember that."


	3. Chapter 3

Loki was the first to arrive at the bar for their dinner. Thor probably thought of it more as a 'meeting', but to Loki it felt more like an inquisition. Thor wasn't exactly the best inquisitor. It was supposed to look like two brothers having a friendly get-together over tapas and drinks in a trendy cigar bar. Appearances are so deceiving.

Thor had a reservation there, with a booth specified so they'd be in a quiet enough area as to talk, but still 'in public' so things had to stay relatively neutral. Loki thought this was probably Thor's way of being 'fair'. If they had this conversation in private, it may end up…a little less civilized.

Not long after Loki was seated, Thor showed up. Loki stayed engrossed in his phone until Thor was settled. He slowly put his phone away and looked at Thor, staring at him, yet saying nothing. Eventually Thor squirmed a bit under the strange scrutiny. "So. What do you want to know." Loki asked.

"Right to it?" Thor commentated.

"Might as well since you've undoubtedly tried and convicted me in your mind."

"Loki that's not true. I…"

"YOU have done nothing but look at me with suspicion ever since you took me from my cell!" Loki hissed.

"And exactly how would you have me feel after what you've done in Asgard; here on Midgard?" Thor growled, his voice on the very edge of raising. The arrival of their waiter calmed the situation, however. After ordering appetizers and drinks, the conversation continued, only slightly less heated than before.

"What is this Loki? What are you planning to do with this Ellison woman? How has this come about?" Thor demanded. He was determined to not be swayed or distracted.

Loki smiled his most charming and sweet smile. "I wanted to see mother again." He said simply.

"No, Loki. There's more to it than that. There's always more than that." Their drinks arrived and Thor took a sip of his beer. "Tell me what's happening, I don't want any harm to come to you or anyone else. Let me in. This is all I ask."

Loki deflated. He looked up at Thor and bit his bottom lip in indecision slightly before saying, "I found something. In the shop. Something powerful and important."

"What?"

"Have you heard of the Universal Eyes?" Loki asked.

"Not by that name. Explain what they are." Thor said, leaning forward.

"There are more than one. It's said they are scattered throughout the Multiverse, spread about by the travel of civilizations. It is also said they're all simply tapping into the thoughts of an even more ancient entity. If you use one of these Eyes, you seek the counsel of this ancient consciousness, and it can show you, through the object, different realities and outcomes. You can see how your life and decisions play out under different circumstances."

Thor's eyes narrowed. This didn't sound like anything his brother should be in possession of. "Can you interact with these probabilities?"

"By using the Eye itself? No. It's merely a window. Almost like watching Midgardian television, yet more horrifying, as you see exactly what's happening in your future and are powerless to stop it. Unless…" Loki held up a finger and paused for effect. "You know how to reach into that reality. How to get there, so to speak. You must be a bit…magical."

"NO Loki." Thor said, more loudly than he intended. "I cannot allow you to interfere with the outcome of…"

"I've seen the death of the entire Multiverse. You, Jane, Lyn, Asgard, Father…indeed all of Midgard. Everything. I've seen how it happens, Thor."

Thor sagged back in his chair and merely stared at Loki. At this point the waiter returned with their food. Their plates sat between them untouched. Loki waited for him to ask another question, but his brother seemed completely broken at the moment. Loki sighed, then picked up his fork and began to gingerly pick at his food.

"How?" Thor finally asked after Loki had taken a few bites.

Loki just looked up and smiled very widely.

"What do you think the fellas are talking about?" Lyn said as she and Jane settled in at the wine bar. The surroundings were quite different from the quiet corner Thor and Loki were currently inhabiting just down the street. The wine bar had upbeat music playing, light colors, and seating areas that were more like comfy living rooms. Jane and Lyn had cozied up in easy chairs with a mirrored table between them.

"Probably catching up on Loki's trip." Jane said lightly. "Thor has wanted to hang out just him and Loki for awhile now."

They made small talk. Jane discussed her trip out east, and some of the things that came up at the symposium. Lyn claimed she didn't have anything new to add. She just went to work and home and waited on Loki to return.

"Did Thor behave?" Jane asked.

"Oh yeah! He was great company. You saw all the videos and pics from the concert…well, the ones that came out right." She laughed and momentarily looked down at her glass. "I dragged him to Ihop afterwards, because when I drink, I NEED some breakfast fare, right? We had a nice talk there. Not too heavy. Just…cool."

Jane nodded, trying not to seem too expectant. "He stuck around the house too? He was concerned about you being by yourself and worrying too much about Loki."

"He drank all the beer and watched all the Spongebob."

"Oh LORD." Jane said.

"I did appreciate the thought, because you're right, I would have been worrying, and probably pestering Loki way more than an adult person should pester another adult person while they're like…adulting. I was glad for the company."

Jane internally steeled herself to go into territory she was less than comfortable treading on, but she had to know a little more about this. "I remember you being really anxious when we met up right before he left…and oh yeah, did anything come of that strange feeling you got from him?"

Lyn wasn't sure how to respond here, because she didn't want to lie to her friend, but also remembered Loki's apprehension at anything being shared with Jane or Thor. 'Answer with grace.' Easier said than done! "I think it was my own anxiety causing me grief, like usual. Nothing good ever comes from that shit! It'll all work out OK."

Lyn didn't give a full accounting of the dagger and Sophia, but she did tell the truth about that much. Nothing good does come from her anxiety, and nothing did this time either. She still felt a hitch in her chest when she thought about telling Loki about the dagger. How afraid she was that he'd be angry enough to leave, and she'd never see him again. Not only that, Thor and Jane would probably also be gone too. Why would they have reason to hang around with her anymore if not for Loki?

"I've always felt Loki didn't care about anyone but himself, but these days, I begin to wonder if you haven't broken through that a bit for him." Jane said.

"Yeah? Maybe…sometimes it feels like he might."

"He distracts you with prettiness." Jane said and they both laughed.

"Yeah he does, but not all the time. Sometimes I can't be swayed."

"Do you think that perhaps one day you two might become…closer?" Jane asked.

"We have the weirdest relationship, you already know that. I think I'm permanently friend-zoned, even though we share some…intimate settings. I'm thinking that's cool though, because your friends are for life, right? Unless you violate their trust consistently. I mean, everyone makes mistakes, but for the most part, that's all they are: mistakes. You mean well. Friends forgive you. I know I'm…important to him. That's big. That's enough for me."

After talking to Thor, Loki felt quite confident he had the first part of his plan worked out. His plans were never solid, straight lines. There were always some deviation that necessitated the plan B's and C's he worked into the scheme of things. Now, he and Thor would have to share their idea with Jane and Lyn. Jane had seen such things before, Lyn had not. Lyn didn't really know what was 'out there'. Loki unfortunately did. Sometimes he drifted off thinking about all his plan A's, B's, C's…and what he actually knew. The things he knew, he'd never told anyone, never even alluded to them. He'd mostly wanted to forget about them, even though sometimes they rose to the surface again, like ugly monsters under the waves of a storm. If some of the scenarios came to pass here that he saw in the disks, there would be no plans to thwart them. At the very least, he had to build in a failsafe. If that's all he did, he would have done something far more than any of Thor's Avengers friends could pull off.

Now though, to concentrate on the when. Loki knew, through his own experiences, that the passage of time differed greatly between universes. The amount of time he and Thor would be gone from the current reality could be weeks, months, centuries or just scant seconds. Sophia would ask questions if he was gone too long from his job, and he needed her confidence in him. Lyn would worry about him to the extreme, and there wasn't much he could do about that. He'd seen the outcome if he didn't make this jump though. He may have been 'cheating' destiny a little, but he was well used to that.

Convincing the other party in the little adventure though…he'd need infallible logic, or, perhaps to take the easy road, which is something he wasn't above doing, a bit of guilt or at the very least, obligation. A favor for a favor. Maybe a fabricated favor would be necessary, but nevertheless, whatever it took. His Valkyrie friend was going to have to come…and stay…of her own volition. Her talents would be put to good use here if she was going to take his place in time while he was gone on his second mission. This mission was the real thwarting of the evil outcome. The true reason for all of his planning. Thor was only aware of the current plan, as usual Loki kept most of the information close to the chest.

"NO WAY, Thor! I know there's been a lot of change with Loki, but trusting him to do this is…"

"Jane, I know the way it sounds…"

"Do you though? Really? Or are you just doing this out of some misplaced form of guilt or desire to repair your relationship?"

Thor had just informed Jane of Loki's plan to step into a different reality, convince someone to leave that reality and come to this one sight unseen and in doing so adjust the flow of all other realities. No big deal! What could possibly go wrong here? Jane was definitely not going to go along quietly with this one.

"I am doing this because it needs investigation. Needs someone there capable of dealing with Loki, and with other…forces…if necessary. I am an Avenger, Jane. My vow to Midgard is to protect it from harm." Jane looked angrily away from him. "This vow includes protection of you, as well."

Jane turned to face him again, anger still evident. "I think Loki may be rubbing off on you a little, with that smooth line you just dropped on me. What do you take me for? Part of you being here, may I remind you, is to keep watch on Loki. Trust yet verify? Something along those lines? Come on Thor, things weren't all smooth with him when he left Asgard."

Thor sighed. Jane was a hard sell, that's for sure. She always provided a good deal of insight and reality though. Why was he really going to do this? She was partly right. Some of it had to do with the illusion of trusting Loki. Thor had been through enough with his brother to know that trusting him completely wasn't a good idea. There was always a chance of…mischief. Of some other modus operandi.

"I'm afraid if I don't do this with him, that he'll do it on his own, or perhaps recruit another that may not be as well equipped to handle what may come." Thor stated.

"You don't think he'd try to get Lyn to go…" Jane started, but stopped when Thor shook his head. "You think he might bring another in? Like we need more 'otherworlders' dropping in. Thor, this sucks." Jane said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Can we all at least get together and talk about this openly? What's it going to look like to Lyn, who already thinks everyone has treated Loki unfairly?"

"We will all discuss this before anyone goes anywhere." Thor said, and pulled Jane into a hug. "I promise, all will be well."

"Promises, promises…" Jane mumbled, her voice muffled against his shirt.


	4. Chapter 4

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""This is why I need the deck redone." Lyn groused to Loki as she stepped down from the deck to the backyard. "Damn thing's too short. It needs to come out further into the yard." She was covering up her nervousness. She knew this wasn't a simple get-together for dinner. There was something going on. All of them seemed to be in on it but her, and that tweaked her anxiety further as well as her temper. Lyn felt short on patience and long on aggravation by this time./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki insisted on his favorite gourmet pizza tonight, quick and easy both in serving and clean-up so all focus could be on the conversation. The four of them took seats around the patio table, pizza boxes in the middle like edible board games. They made small talk while they ate, but dread hovered over the table. Lyn finally had enough of the hedging./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""OK, so when are we going to dispense with the bullshit and let me in on the secret? I'm used to sneaky shit with him…" she jerked a thumb in Loki's direction. "…but you two? You're usually on the up and up. I'm disappointed here, folks. So spill it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki and Thor looked at each other across the table for a long moment. Loki was the first to speak./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I know how anxious you feel in matters that extend to me. I will be leaving on another business trip. This time, Thor is coming with me."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn looked to Jane, who only looked back at her silently, not giving away any emotion or clue as to what was about to be said./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What business is this, Loki?" Lyn asked sharply. "Monkey business? You could barely tolerate your brother's presence a few months ago, now you're off on a business trip together? What kind of bullshit are you guys up to?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Thor opened his mouth to speak, but Jane put her hand over his, shaking her head slightly. This was something Lyn would need to hash out with Loki directly./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki smiled one of charming smiles before saying, "There is a matter of great import that has come to my attention. Something that involves all of us. All of this world and many others."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn sagged back in her chair, looking defeated, exhausted and afraid all at once. "Why, goddamn it?" She demanded as she threw her hands up in front of her and pinned Loki with a intense stare. "WHY? Why do you have to stick your nose in it? Why YOU? Why can't you just fucking LEAVE SHIT ALONE?" Her voice had risen throughout her statement and by the end was almost a shout./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki's expression didn't change in the face of her fury, even though both Thor and Jane visibly flinched at Lyn's tone. Neither of them had seen her this upset./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Because I have become aware of it." Loki began, his tone calm and quiet. Before Lyn could interject he continued with, "And because knowing about it and doing naught is unacceptable to me in this case."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Tell me everything. Everything they know." Lyn said evenly, gesturing to Thor and Jane. "Fuck that…tell me even what they don't know."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""As you wish." Loki said and pulled an object from his pocket. It was the old pocket watch from his drawer./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""We got the wrong fucking thing." Lyn murmured, and then demanded, "What is that?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""It's called a Universal Eye. There are many of them scattered about the Multiverse. It's like a window into different realities. Shows you what's going on elsewhere, with other versions of yourself. Other outcomes and timelines."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So conjure up tomorrow's lotto numbers and we can go buy us a condo in Bermuda and live out the Last Days in style. Just you and me." Lyn whispered, tears already forming in her eyes./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki gave a genuine laugh at that as Thor shifted awkwardly in his seat and Jane drank more than a sip of wine from her glass./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""It's not for such insignificant matters."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""The way I feel about you is far from insignificant, Loki Odinson. I'd rather spend a few moments of perfection with you than a lifetime without." Lyn leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and staring Loki down. A tear finally escaped from her eye and tracked down her cheek. She wiped it angrily away./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki smiled wanly, and without warning removed the glamour from the watch allowing it to come alive in his hand. The disks spun, and rose in the air over his palm./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn and Jane both started, but Thor only frowned and looked on./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Do you want to see what it showed me?" Loki asked ominously, leaning forward./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Fuck that thing." Lyn rasped, her eyes wide, the color draining from her face./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Enough Loki! Explain what you have seen with this object, and what you and I will do." Thor growled, tiring of Loki's theatrics. "There is no need to upset Lyn in this manner!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki snapped around to look at Thor. "Let me tell it my way." He hissed./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Get on with it, then!" Thor replied in a warning tone./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Favoring Thor with a withering stare before continuing, Loki said, "In short, I discovered this in one of the old clocks in Sophia's office."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""So you lied about Sophia herself attracting you to the store? It was that thing all along?" Lyn asked./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki shook his head as the weird disks still spun around over his palm. They radiated cold strangeness and while they were outside on a warm day, the temperature around them dropped. Even the light changed, growing colder, more blue. 'Dead Blue' as Lyn thought of it. Like late evening in the middle of a snow-covered winter./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""She was a part of it. She was meant to draw me there to it, to bring my attention to it. Once I was able to use it, I saw the end of all universes, all realities. I know how it happens. I also saw what would stop it, where I'd have to go. Who I'd need to…enlist. I need Thor and Mjolnir to aid me."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What if I don't care?" Lyn said./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"For the first time in the conversation, Loki's air of sly mystery dropped and he asked, "What?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""If it all has to end, who gives a shit? We all gotta go sometime, right? Just let it happen. Stay here. You and I. Thor and Jane. We can get the deck fixed up, have parties, be regular people until it happens. Just be happy." Lyn looked at Loki desperately./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""We cannot, Lyn." Thor said gently. "We cannot because we are not regular people, and because we can stop it. For you, for Jane…indeed for all, even those that would wish it so." He glanced over at Loki who nodded at him before continuing, "I would not allow a smug, self-entitled creature to pick over our bones for it's own sport. Not while I draw breath. Loki and I are in agreement that this must not come to pass."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The group of them sat quietly for a moment. Lyn watched the spinning disks, enthralled by them, hating them, wanting to sweep them from Loki's palm and stomp them into the ground. These damn disks with their terrible news and their dark duty./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I don't want to see what they showed you, Loki. Jane? What's your take?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jane sighed and fiddled with her wine glass for a moment before answering, "While I had reservations about Loki's intentions…and I apologize, Loki, but that's my feeling…" Loki gave her a assenting nod and she continued, "…I believe in Thor. He did see what Loki saw, and he is convinced he can help. I'll worry as always, but I have faith in him. They should go." Jane looked at Lyn with wide, frightened eyes. "I hate it, but they should go."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki broke in, with yet one last bomb to drop on his overwhelmed friend. "When we return, I will have someone with me. An ally, a very powerful ally. If it is acceptable, they will stay with us for a time. I will provide for their room and board, and they will act with proper decorum."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn now sat back in her chair, feeling defeated. "Well, at least you asked first. Yeah, sure. Why not bring strangers in here after portaling off to save the universe. What the hell have I gotten myself into with you people?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, you wanted some Loki in your life." Jane remarked. "You got a few extras."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Apparently. So, when is this happening and how long will you be gone?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I need to speak to Sophia. I'll let her know I'm going on a short vacation. I have all my projects in line where the strain on her will be minimal. Day after tomorrow. I expect us to be gone perhaps 5 days. Maybe less. Maybe as little as a few seconds, if time proves to be on our side. Time passes differently between realms."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"*/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"After Thor and Jane had left, Loki and Lyn cleaned up the pizza boxes and wine glasses. They went about it quietly. Lyn didn't have much to say at first, she didn't really know what to say. Not feeling like playing their game, or watching any shows, they trudged upstairs to bed. Loki sat up reading something on his tablet for a bit and Lyn just tried to imprint his presence on her memory. What if he doesn't come back? What if…the enemy phrase that's plagued her mind for her entire life./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I don't know what to think of all this." She finally said. Loki looked up from his tablet. "I don't even know how to process this. I just know how I feel about you. How important you've been to me, what you've done for me and helped me with."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You're speaking in the past tense, dear." Loki said. "As if I've already gone and will never return."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""You might not. Am I right? You and Thor have a chance of not ever making it back, and if I understood your reference to the passage of time, you may come back but not during my lifetime. What's the point then?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""The point is, you will have had a lifetime."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I don't want one without you." Lyn said, her eyes wide as she stared up at him from the blankets./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Your devotion pains you more than anything I think." Loki said./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Don't be flippant. I love you with all I am. I know you don't feel the same, shit I wish you did, but that's not up to me. I know how I feel. Remember what I told you, the very first time we met back in your cell in Asgard? I said 'It's never too late as long as you got someone that gives a shit.' Let me remind you I DO give shit."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki looked at her warmly and said, "I seem to remember I also told you 'things may not turn out as you envision' if you released me from my cell?" She didn't answer and he sighed tiredly before answering, "I know how you feel about me. I am unable to return your affections in kind at this point, but if you wonder at my desire to return to you, please know you are one of the dearest people to me. You are precious to me, your love is precious to me. Forgive my selfishness at taking and not returning on that end. Perhaps one day…things will be different. But for hope of it to come to pass, we'll both have to exist still."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yeah, yeah. I get it. Dangle that carrot in front of my nose why don't you? You always get me to do whatever you want. You must think I'm the world's biggest sucker."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki laughed lightly, and ran long fingers through her hair, "My dear Lyn, you are no such thing! Now settle down and sleep well."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She settled next to him, but didn't sleep well at all. Not with this looming in front of them, this giant thing./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"*/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn was in a place she'd never seen before. A huge place with huge things. A massive vista stretched in front of her, almost too vast to comprehend. She was aware of seeing through her own eyes, and floating along looking down at an alien landscape as if riding on the shoulder of a giant. Her movement stopped suddenly and across from her stood another humanoid form, much smaller than the giant's shoulder she seemed to be riding on. She couldn't make out any details of the other presence. It was primarily dark in color, as if wearing dark clothes./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Suddenly, a blaring voice spoke, "War, children! It's just a shot away! Shot away…" Lyn went to cover hear ears, and realized the massive voice was her own. She was the giant! A long arm stretched out from her, in the direction of the dark, humanoid form. She sensed her own rage coursing through the giant's body. She sensed murder. Pain. Vengeance. The being her giant self reached towards was going to suffer, because that was her work. "Your time ends, The Eternal collects…" The she-giant rumbled./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She gasped awake laying flat on her back, eyes darting around the room, heart beating staccato. Loki was next to her, making his purring sleep-sounds. She had an urge to sit up and scream "Who is The Eternal?!" into the dark room. She was wrapped in total terror. She tried to come back to the now, as she did when anxiety would get the best of her. Her anxiety was less of a problem when Loki first came along, but lately, it was back in force. Ever since that 'Universal Eye' he'd brought home from the clock. Ever since all this talk of dimensions and realties and journeys. Ever since the real possibility of losing Loki to all this nonsense. Her first inclination was to wake him up for what meager comfort he provided. Loki wasn't much for hugging and coddling./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She instead rolled over with her back to him, and tried to focus on breathing, like he would tell her to do. She did this until she unknowingly fell asleep again, this time to normal dreams. When she woke the next morning, she had no recollection of her dream or anything called The Eternal./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"*/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The day they left had been a pleasant, sunny one. They waited until early evening to begin. The air was clear and less humid than usual. It would have been a beautiful evening to simply sit and watch the sun go down./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki and Thor stood side by side on the lake shore, close to the same place Lyn sat drinking her wine long ago before her visit to Asgard that began this tumultuous period in her life. They were preparing to go on their adventure to…wherever Loki had seen in the Universal Eye. To maybe bring back someone who would help avert tragedy. To maybe never be seen again./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Lyn stood next to Jane, trying to mimic her sense of cool, but in reality, she wanted to cling to Loki sobbing until someone pulled her forcibly from him. She knew none of that would help the situation or change the outcome./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jane glanced at Lyn out of the corner of her eye, trying to gauge how she was holding up. The other woman looked almost gray, and her expression was painful to behold. Jane's heart ached for her friend, but she stayed quiet for the time being./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jane and Thor said their goodbyes, and Lyn stepped to Loki, staring up at him with wide eyes./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""It seems I have brought you nothing but pain." Loki said, looking closely at her face./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I wouldn't change a damn thing about the last few years." Lyn said, gazing sadly up at him. "Bring me back a cool T-shirt." She hugged him tight, then stepped back./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Loki smiled sweetly at her, and then he and Thor unceremoniously faded away in a white light. There were no bright light flashes, claps of thunder or other drama this time. They just faded away quietly, as if melting into a sunbeam./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Are you okay?" Jane asked, sounding less than okay herself./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""No." Lyn answered. "None of this is okay."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Jane knew there had to be a way to know what was going on with Loki and Thor while they were gone. She'd had an idea, but didn't want to share until she knew for sure. Thor agreed to help her test her theory when the time was right./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Let's go back to your house and have a glass of wine. In fact, I think I might crash on your couch if you don't mind." Jane said./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yep. Drunk it is." Lyn answered as they walked away from the lake's quiet shore, not turning back./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"AUTHOR'S NOTE: To be continued in the next story in the series!/p 


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